Shoring device

ABSTRACT

A device for shoring trenches having rails, panels and articulated trusses such that pairs of opposite rails are upheld vertically by trusses and spaced along the trench to support shoring panels which slide past each other vertically within guides of adjacent rails; the rail having a back flange welded on a main rectangular tube which is provided on either side with two lateral rectangular tubes welded offset and inward past the main tube such that with a front flange welded on each lateral tube shape two vertical guides on either side of rail, the front flanges being projecting into the space between lateral tubes creating a guide contouring the edge of articulated truss which slides interlocked within; the panel being provided with special edges that interlock within vertical guides of rail, the truss being articulated and provided with roller to displace along the front flanges of the rails.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention discloses a shoring device for trenches. The shoring device includes rails, large shoring panels and articulated trusses or spreaders. Each rail has laterally on either side two guides for sliding shoring panels and a frontal guide inward the trench for sliding an articulated truss or spreader. Pairs of rails are spaced along the trench. At least one articulated truss or spreader upholds opposite rails of a pair of rails. Shoring panels slide past each other within guides of adjacent rails creating thereby a stepped shoring wall with an outer wall and an inner wall relative to interior of trench. The panel and the guide of the rail making the outer wall are said respectively outer panel and outer guide. Likewise, it is said inner panel and inner guide.

[0002] The rail having a main tube of rectangular shape with a back flange welded on one of the narrow sides of main tube and extended laterally on either side of main tube. Two lateral tubes of rectangular shape, slightly smaller in size than said main tube are welded parallel on either side of the main tube at a distance relative to the back flange and projecting inward past the main tube, so that an outer guide is shaped, on either side of entire rail, between the back flange and proximal narrow side of lateral tube, wherein slide an outer shoring panel. Each lateral tube has on the narrow side, farther to back flange and past the main tube, a front flange which extend laterally on either side of the lateral tube. The lateral extension of the front flange into the gap between lateral tubes and the main tube is slightly enough to form a frontal guide along the entire rail wherein an edge of at least one truss or spreader slides interlocked within. The lateral extension of the front flange on the outside direction relative to the main tube is large enough to shape a guide with the outer side of lateral tube for sliding an inner panel within. The outer guide and inner guide of the rail have a strip or round bar welded alongside the back flange and front flanges, flash to the lip and interior to the guide, so that outer and inner panels interlock within respective guides. Each shoring panel has laterally ‘U’ shaped guides that fits the interlocking bars of the rail. An articulated truss having extensible members and able to comfort various technical specifications is provided with lateral edges and roller for sliding interlocked within frontal guide of the rail.

[0003] Trench shoring devices having vertical rails, shoring panels and horizontal spreaders that pressing the shoring walls against side-wall of a trench are known.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0004] This invention relates to shoring apparatuses or devices for trenches and other similar types of open excavations employed in construction industry.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0005] Previous trench shoring devices as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,910,053 and 4,657,442 (Krings), use a rail having on either side one or more channel guides. Each channel guide is of ‘C’ shape to interlock panels that have a ‘T’ shaped cross section alongside both extremities. This type of interlocking highly concentrates the stresses in the contact between rail and panel engendering damages in both rail and panels, strongly limiting the successful use of this shoring device.

[0006] The U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,310,289 and 5,503,504 (Hess et al.), disclose a rail having on either side only one channel guide for two shoring walls, created by an outer and by an inner panel. The channel guide has a ‘U’ shape. On backside of the guide channel a square bar interlock the outer panel within the rail. The inner panel slides not interlocked within rail presenting thereby a risk to kick in the trench when adjacent rails are not aplomb, which becomes a high safety concern when depth of excavation is over 20 ft. deep. The outer and inner panels have unequal design and are not interchangeable.

[0007] The U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,952 (Krings), U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,310,289 and 5,503,504 (Hess et al) disclose rigid strut frames of rectangular structure whose vertical members are provided with rollers. These frames have vertical members connected with horizontal struts or spreaders by bolts and slide interlocked between opposite rails. These frames are rigid and designed to take a rectangular shape only. A frame having a rectangular cell is unstable. In addition, the lower strut of the frame diminishes the pipe culvert requiring special remedial solutions for the installation of pipes of big diameters or big box culverts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The intent of present invention is to provide a shoring device of type described above that reduce the friction and stresses in the contacts between components, while increases the safety and eases its use by having interlocked both outer and inner panels within respective guides of the rail, and allowing in addition specific features such as swing of outer and inner panels within respective guides of the rail. An important aspect of present invention is the use of common structural shapes allowing to lighten the components, ease the manufacturing process and provide better strength.

[0009] Another subject of present invention is to present an articulated truss able to adapt various technical specifications or configurations and provide a big pipe culvert as well.

[0010] The new features considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. Other advantages of invention are to be appreciated in view of the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 is a schematic top fragmentary sectional view of the rail with the outer and inner shoring panels and the top view of vertical member of articulated truss.

[0012]FIG. 2. shows a front view of the rail.

[0013]FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view taken along the line I-I of the FIG. 2.

[0014]FIG. 4 shows a side view of articulated truss with all components assembled.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0015] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a rail 1, an outer shoring panel 2, an inner shoring panel 3 and an articulated truss 4 for a trench shoring device consisting of pairs of oppositely arranged rails which are spaced along the trench, of articulated trusses sliding and guided between opposite rails, and of outer shoring panels and inner shoring panels which slide past each other between adjacent rails.

[0016] The rail 1 has a main tube 5 of rectangular shape with one of the narrow side looking toward interior of trench, a back flange 6 welded on the narrow side of the main tube 5 which is outer relative to interior of trench, two lateral tubes 7 of rectangular shape, welded on either side of the main tube 5, and two front flanges 8 each of them welded on the narrow side of the lateral tubes 7 looking toward interior of trench. The lateral tubes 7 are located at distance from the back flange 6 and prolonged inward past the main tube 5, thus an outer guide 9 is shaped on either side of rail 1 between the back flange 6, the main tube 5 and the lateral tube 7. Outer shoring panels 2 slide within outer guide 9. The front flange 8 is prolonged on either side of lateral tube 7. The extension of front flange 8 in direction looking laterally outside the rail 1 shapes with the lateral tube 7 an inner guide 10 for sliding inner shoring panels 3. The extension of the front flange 8 into the gap between the main tube 5 and lateral tubes 7 shape a guide 11 contouring the edge 16 of the articulated truss 4. The outer guides 9 have round bars 12 welded flash at the lip of back flange 6 for interlocking the outer panels 2. The inner guides 10 have a strip 13′ or a round bar 13 to interlock inner panels 3.

[0017]FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of entire rail 1 and shows that front flanges 8 are extended laterally on either side of rail 1 at the bottom half of the rail 1 only, which considerably eases the installation and removal of inner panel 3. A multitude of bent flanges 14 are welded into the main tube 5 and the lateral tubes 8. As shown in FIG. 3 the bent flanges 14 are provided with pin holes in alignment of a tube 15 which is welded between opposite walls of the main tube 5 for accepting stopping pins.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 4 the articulated truss 4, has the vertical members 17 where is welded the guide edge 16 for sliding within frontal guide 11 of the rail 1 (shown in FIG. 1). Vertical members 17 have on upper and lower ends support flanges 20 with a pine hole 21 wherein is connected via a pin the connector pieces 22. Each connector pieces 22 is bolted via contact flanges 26 to an extensible member 18 which has on both extremities contact flanges 26. Extensible members 18 could be extended by mean of bolting successively two or more of them through contact flanges 26. Similarly, the connector pieces 22 are pinned to center piece 19 through the pin holes 23 and bolted via contact flanges 26 to an extension member 18. Depending on the shape of center piece 19 and the length of extensible members 18 several configuration of the truss could be obtained. As example, if the center piece 19 is dismissed the extensible members 18 of upper part could be bolted to each other and likewise those of lower part, providing therefore an articulated rectangular truss. The vertical members 17 of articulated truss 4 have the lifting flanges 24 and could be provided with roller 25 at upper and lower ends for rolling in contacts onto front flanges 8 of rail 1. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A trench shoring device consisting of rails, which are provided on either side with an outer and an inner guide relative to interior of trench and spaced in pairs alongside the excavation, of vertically mobile trusses to uphold rails of each pair of rails, and of large shoring panels sliding vertically between adjacent rails within outer and inner guide creating respectively an outer shoring wall and an inner shoring wall relative to interior of the trench, and wherein: the rail having a main tube of rectangular shape, a back flange welded on one of narrow sides of said main tube, two lateral tubes of rectangular shape, smaller in size than said main tube, which are welded parallel on either side of said main tube at a distance relative to said back flange and projecting inward past said main tube, and two front flanges each of them welded on the narrow side of said lateral tube farthest relative to said back flange; said back flange extending laterally on either side of said main tube at distance comparable to width of said lateral tube so that an outer guide is outlined on either side along entire rail between said back flange and proximal narrow side of said lateral tube; said back flange being provided alongside with a strip or round bar welded flash to the lip of inner side relative to said outer guide so that an outer shoring panel interlocks when sliding vertically within; each said front flange being slightly and equally extended into the gap between lateral tubes, past said main tube, enough to shape a frontal guide of ‘C’ type along entire rail that contours the guiding edge of a truss or spreader to slide interlocked within; for at least the bottom half of the rail, said front flange being extended laterally from said lateral tube at a distance slightly bigger than the width of said lateral tube and in opposite direction relative to said main tube, so that an inner guide is outlined between said front flange and the side of said lateral tube; each said front flange provided alongside with a strip or round bar welded flash to the lip of inner side relative to said inner guide so that an inner shoring panel interlocks when sliding vertically within; said outer shoring panel and said inner shoring panel having laterally guide channels to fit the said outer guide and said inner guide of said rail; the articulated mobile truss or individual spreader having guiding edges to fit the said frontal guide of the rail to slide interlocked within; said articulated truss or said individual spreader provided with roller to displace vertically along said front flanges of said rail.
 2. A trench shoring device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said rail is provided with at least one bent steel plate that has at center a hole, said bent plate being inserted into said frontal guide and welded onto said lateral tubes and said main tube.
 3. A trench shoring device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said main tube of the rail is provided with at least one round tube traversing both front and back side of said main tube and welded on either side of said main tube.
 4. An articulated truss according to claim 1, having two identical vertical members, at least four inclined extensible members provided at extremities with contact flanges, one center piece and a multitude of pin connector pieces wherein; said vertical member having alongside a guiding edge of ‘T’ shape fitting the said frontal guide of said rail, at least two supporting pin connectors located at upper and lower extremities of said vertical member, said supporting pin connector being formed by at least one flange outlining a quarter of circle and provided with pin hole; said extensible members being of structural tube of rectangular or round shape and having at least four screw holes on said contact flanges; said center piece being formed by two rectangular large flanges spaced from each other by at least two supporting flanges perpendicular two each other and welded on said large flanges, said large flanges having each corner rounded and provided at center of arc with a pin hole, said pin connector piece being formed by two flanges having a semi-circle shape and provided with a pin hole, welded onto said contact flange, each pin connector piece bolted on each extremity of every extensible member so that each said extensible member is connected by pins via a said connector piece on one side to said support connector of said vertical member and the other side to the center piece.
 5. An articulated truss as set forth in claim 4, wherein supports with rollers are provided at upper and lower ends of each said vertical member. 